Livings was probably our best lineman for half a season (while Smith was learning to play left tackle and making the expected mistakes. In the second half of the season, Livings was possibly our worst lineman. I don't know if it was a matter of his injury simply catching up to him or what, but he just absolutely started struggling with quick moves.

Bernadeau improved from a horrific start and passed him.

Still, both are just stop-gap players IMO. We need to work on replacing them as starters, getting at least one quality replacement this year. I'd prefer more, but I'm trying to be realistic.

I laugh at the people who slam a player and talk crap about a player. Those fools can sit behind their computers and run their mouths yet there is not a chance in hell they could even perform at half the level a bench player or backup plays. I find it rather funny that they call them "stupid" "dumb" "slow" or whatever the flavor word of the day is. Funny that these guys can run their mouths about a player being hurt or coming into camp out of shape. Like the team doctors or coaches weren't aware that 2 of the players had major shoulder surgery. Unreal Monday Morning couch Gm's. Give me a break I wish whatever player is gone the best and good health moving forward.

Everyone is afforded an opinion, no matter their level of athleticism. Whether you believe that opinion or not is up to you. But censoring someone because they offer an opinion that doesn't meet up to someone's expectations is unfair.

Livings was probably our best lineman for half a season (while Smith was learning to play left tackle and making the expected mistakes. In the second half of the season, Livings was possibly our worst lineman. I don't know if it was a matter of his injury simply catching up to him or what, but he just absolutely started struggling with quick moves.

Bernadeau improved from a horrific start and passed him.

Still, both are just stop-gap players IMO. We need to work on replacing them as starters, getting at least one quality replacement this year. I'd prefer more, but I'm trying to be realistic.

Jones: We’re glad we did it. We got some key pieces. We got Brandon Carr. There are no worries at corner. We got some guards I think will get better in due time. But we got some good players we went out and got.

Stephen can say what he wants but this team has handed out some poor contracts the past few years and its costing us now.

As a result, all this restructuring we are having to do now will again cost us in the future. Its a vicious cycle of cap mismanagement.

That's why he gets testy when people question him about it. He wouldn't have a problem talking about what a good job he's done.

He likes to scold people and tell you they can do anything they want. Except they can't and he admits it in this article. There's a cap. It's restricting. We've sat out a few FAs already because of it and we'll be mostly spectators this year for the same reason.

But do not question him on it. How dare you?

The plus side of this article is his talk of the draft. I couldn't agree more about that. It was a dumb question to ask if it's more important this year. It's vitally important every year. At least he has that mindset.

That's why he gets testy when people question him about it. He wouldn't have a problem talking about what a good job he's done.

He likes to scold people and tell you they can do anything they want. Except they can't and he admits it in this article. There's a cap. It's restricting. We've sat out a few FAs already because of it and we'll be mostly spectators this year for the same reason.

But do not question him on it. How dare you?

The plus side of this article is his talk of the draft. I couldn't agree more about that. It was a dumb question to ask if it's more important this year. It's vitally important every year. At least he has that mindset.

Yup. Sum total of article.

Cap is fine, yes we will lose 3 contributing players via free agency, no we havent really talked with our best FA and no we wont be players in free agency..., and we'll be better when our guys get healthier. But the CAP IS FINE!!! I TELL YOU!!!

I laugh at the people who slam a player and talk crap about a player. Those fools can sit behind their computers and run their mouths yet there is not a chance in hell they could even perform at half the level a bench player or backup plays. I find it rather funny that they call them "stupid" "dumb" "slow" or whatever the flavor word of the day is. Funny that these guys can run their mouths about a player being hurt or coming into camp out of shape. Like the team doctors or coaches weren't aware that 2 of the players had major shoulder surgery. Unreal Monday Morning couch Gm's. Give me a break I wish whatever player is gone the best and good health moving forward.

Definitely some contracts that didn't work out well for us. I wonder how other teams do for that. Some good ones as well. It does seem we are tight against the cap a lot and I'd think there is a price to pay for dead money.

Definitely some contracts that didn't work out well for us. I wonder how other teams do for that. Some good ones as well. It does seem we are tight against the cap a lot and I'd think there is a price to pay for dead money.

There's also the little matter of having $10 million in cap space stripped.

This team clearly needs to focus on the draft and hit on players there.
No doubt about it.

Also fully believe Livings and Bern played hurt last year.
Again, I buy that from Stephen fully.

But we always have to have a bit of snake oil in every sales pitch. It is really so silly and futile. Just admit the cap is tight but manageable which is exactly in line with everything you've stated before. Admit the draft is key.

Talk about all the 2nd year guys we bring back healthy.

Anything but showing us one thing and labeling it another. So frustrating.

Look at how NE had to "extend" Brady for 3 more years and in the process guaranteed the entire contract in order to provide cap room. Alot of the media folk are trying to spin this as a Brady took-one-for-the-team move but in reality NE just made his original deal a $60M guaranteed one. The other side of that coin is that NE is prolonging the development of their next QB. By extending Brady three more years, Mallet will likely be traded away and they don't have another QB in the fold to learn yet. It's a real sticky situation trying to stay competitive but also continuing to develop players you draft.

It doesn't take long but look around the league how alot of teams are restructuring contracts to provide cap room to sign their own veterans or to prepare for FA. The Steelers have done it already with Antonio Brown's contract (he just signed in 2012), Lawrence Timmons contract, and are looking at doing it with Big Ben's too.

The Lions, Giants, Saints, and Panthers have already done the same with other players to get cap relief.

What Stephen is trying to tell you is that the Cowboys do not want to tie up money into top tier FAs because they will need that money when Murray, Lee, Carter, Smith, and other young core guys need to be resigned. If they go out and spend big in FA this year it will almost be a guarantee that they will put themselves in a bad situation to keep all of those young core players they want on the team.

Half the teams have 15m or MORE in cap space right now. How tight exactly are they?

Look at how NE had to "extend" Brady for 3 more years and in the process guaranteed the entire contract in order to provide cap room. Alot of the media folk are trying to spin this as a Brady took-one-for-the-team move but in reality NE just made his original deal a $60M guaranteed one. The other side of that coin is that NE is prolonging the development of their next QB. By extending Brady three more years, Mallet will likely be traded away and they don't have another QB in the fold to learn yet. It's a real sticky situation trying to stay competitive but also continuing to develop players you draft.

Not sure how this correlates to anything. Brady will be on the cap at extremely low numbers. With Brady guaranteed or not makes little difference. He's worth that much to them just selling jerseys.

It doesn't take long but look around the league how alot of teams are restructuring contracts to provide cap room to sign their own veterans or to prepare for FA. The Steelers have done it already with Antonio Brown's contract (he just signed in 2012), Lawrence Timmons contract, and are looking at doing it with Big Ben's too.

So what? 5 or 6 teams do something so that makes it smart?

The Lions, Giants, Saints, and Panthers have already done the same with other players to get cap relief.

Add 1 or 2 teams and you have your ENTIRE list who were over the cap. Everyone else is under, many well under.

What Stephen is trying to tell you is that the Cowboys do not want to tie up money into top tier FAs because they will need that money when Murray, Lee, Carter, Smith, and other young core guys need to be resigned. If they go out and spend big in FA this year it will almost be a guarantee that they will put themselves in a bad situation to keep all of those young core players they want on the team.

ROFL. Now you are Stephen's spokesman? Come on.

He is trying to say w ehave zero cap issues... we will just lose guys who have contributed and anth9ny spencer because we don't want them anyone. And we'll just sit out free agency because we don't like the players there.... Has nothign to do with us being well over the cap and needing to use the "built-in" restructures just to get under.

The problem with your "story" is that we restructuring these guys and pushing money into the years where Tyron, Dez, Sean, Bruce et al have to be signed long-term. That's precisely why you take cap lumps now and wait for a playoff team to emerge before extending your cap credit forward a few seasons.

Half the teams have 15m or MORE in cap space right now. How tight exactly are they?

Not sure how this correlates to anything. Brady will be on the cap at extremely low numbers. With Brady guaranteed or not makes little difference. He's worth that much to them just selling jerseys.

So what? 5 or 6 teams do something so that makes it smart?

Add 1 or 2 teams and you have your ENTIRE list who were over the cap. Everyone else is under, many well under.

ROFL. Now you are Stephen's spokesman? Come on.

He is trying to say w ehave zero cap issues... we will just lose guys who have contributed and anth9ny spencer because we don't want them anyone. And we'll just sit out free agency because we don't like the players there.... Has nothign to do with us being well over the cap and needing to use the "built-in" restructures just to get under.

The problem with your "story" is that we restructuring these guys and pushing money into the years where Tyron, Dez, Sean, Bruce et al have to be signed long-term. That's precisely why you take cap lumps now and wait for a playoff team to emerge before extending your cap credit forward a few seasons.